Variable speed drive



Oct- 10, 1933- s. G. sKlNNER VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE Filed Nov. 25, 1932' www Oct. 10, 1933. s, G. SKINNER VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE Filed Nov. 25, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l at ,. ywhich are nonrotatably secured'toaxles 18. The `'55 Y Patented Oct. 10, .1933,

l 1,929,611 VARIBLE SPEED ,DRIVE Stephen (3i.y Skinner, Los Angeles, Calif.r

. Application November 25, 1932A Serial No. 644,165

This invention relates to variable. speed drives. One of theA objects of the invention is toprovide'fan improved. Variablespeed drive. f

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved'varable speed drive which is particularly suitable for transmitting power atk an angle.- 'Y 4 Y A further 'object of the invention is -t pro- -vide van improved variable speedvdrive'in which theldriv'e is direct for afplurality of speed ratios, A'further object of theinvention is to provide a variable speed drive which 'is particularly suitableV for automotivevehicles.A Y f f A further object of the invention is to provide an improved variable speed drive whichis particularly adapted for use in automotive vehicles to supplement the conventional transmission so as to providea greater number of speed'ratio's. l Other objects, advantages, and'capablities of the invention will appear from the following descriptiongof --a preferred embodiment thereof,` taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,- in which' Y' 'Figure 1A is' a sectional plan'of the variable speed drive mechanism associated with the differential vrdriveioffan automotive vehicle; Fig; 2 isa vertical `section,"on a smaller scale, through thediferential housing andthe' housing f-`ofthe variable speed drive mechanism, which y"mechanism is shown in'elevation; Y '5" 'Fig'. 3 is Aasectional detail taken on `the line 3-3 of Fig;` 1; f Y `f' Fig; 4V is a sectional detail ltaken on the line 4-4 of Fig. Land l Fig. 5 is* a sectional detail taken on the line 5-'5 of Fig. l2.

Referring to the drawings', the reference numeral designates therear axle'housing of an automotive vehicle, which is bellied out in its centerrto provide the central 'portion vof the dinerential housing.` On the`1forward side is secured va 'housing 11 which receives the `forwardly extending part 'of the differentialv mechanism and provides a chamber 12 for the reception of the va- 'riabl'e speed drive 'mechanism hereinafter de- Vscribed in detail. The rear side of the axlehous-A inglO is closed by a c onvexplate13 which ac commodates the rearwardly projecting portions of the differential mechanism, f

i The differential `comprises afring'gear 1 4 which is rigidly secured to a housing 15.V The housing y1 5 'carries' bevel which bevel gears cooperate with bevel gears 17 Acomplete differential, with theexception of the vis preferably Y substantially V spacing sleeve 27 vof an intermediate washer which has tongues v`bent over to' engage the faces of the nuts in 'portion of Athe `Vshaft' 23.

gears'l't mounted on radial axes' y ring gear 1 4, may be of standard construction and Y I* The variable speed drive mechanism is preferably constructed in the form of! a unit which may be inserted into the chamber 12 in assembled 170 *condition This unit comprises a central shaft 23 on which the bevel gear 22 vis mounted. This shaft 23 :isrotatably mounted within a sleeve 24,

't'he'end of which is adjacentthe gear 22 carrying the bevel gear 21k. Roller bearings 25 and 315 26 provide alow friction mounting for the shaft 23 upon the sleeve 24.1 The bearings 25 and 26 are spaced apart'by a spacing sleeve 27 winch Jspool-like, being The forward end of the waisted about its center.

is threaded and is kadapted to engage a correspondingly threaded portion of the sleeve 24 so that the shaft 23 may be adjusted ax- VViallywith respect to the sleeve 24.-'

' lThe initial step in the assembly of the Variable speed drive mechanism consists in Vapplying the bearing 25 on the shaft 23.` The spacing'sleeve '27 is then applied so as toV abut against thebearing 25 and tl'iebearing 26 is applied'in abutment with the spacingjsleeve 27; Locking nuts 28 are then threaded on to the threadedportion 29 of the shaft' 23, being adjusted to the satisfactory tightness ofthe bearings 25 and 26.- The locking nuts 28 are held against rotation-by means known manner. Thefw'asher 30 AhasA a' portion which fits into a keyway 31 cutein the adjacent y the locking nuts 28 a clutch '100 member 32 is keyed upon the shaft 23, beingheld against forwarddisplacement by meansof a 'nut 33,"mountedon ya threaded portion 34 of the Forwardly of shaft 23. `The nut 33 isl held against rotation by means of a washer 35 which has projecting `105 tongues which are bent over the lfaces of the nut "3 31after the same-is tightened; The washer 35 Ahas a portion which projects into a keyway 36,

which keyway extends tothe forward end ofl the .1,10

shaft 23.

` any suitableV manner.

In order to enable the sleeve 27 to be rotated into its operative position within the sleeve 24, the latter sleeve is provided with an opening 37 through which a tool may be introduced to rotate the sleeve 27. The intermediate waisted portion of the sleeve 27 is provided with a series of longitudinal slots 38 leaving between them a series of longitudinal ribs 39 which can be engaged bya tool entered through the pinion 37 into the slots 38, as will be best understood from the section in Fig. 4. In this way the sleeve 27 may be accurately adjusted within the sleeve 24 so that the two pinions 21 and 22 are located inV correct relative position, as is necessaryv in order to attain perfect meshing with the teeth tracks of the ring gear 14.

In the form shown in Fig. 4 there are twelve ribs 39 and their'outer surfaces are cut obliquely so as to establish six at faces analogous `to the faces of a hexagonal nut, that is the outer faces ofradjacent Apairs of ribs 39 are continuations of Yeach other, as best seen in Fig. 4. In order` to ysecure the sleeve 27 in fixed position Vrelative to the sleeve 24, bolts 40 extend in chord-like'rela- .tionrthrough the wall ofthe sleever24. These bolts 40 have at surfaces which are adapted to engage a pair of surfaces of ribs 39. By tightening the nuts on these bolts the same may be drawn so as to bring their surfaces into` firm conytact with the surfaces of the ribs 39, so that relative rotation between the sleeves 24 and 27 is absolutely prevented.

The sleeve 24k is now provided with bearings and 42 withan intermediate spacing sleeve 43, in similar manner to the mounting of the bearings 25 and 26 and sleeve 27. In order to conduct this assembly,'the bearing 41 is passed from the forward end of the sleeve 24 rearwardly until it lcontacts withr the suitable shoulder adjacent the pinion 21. The sleeve 43 is then slipped over the sleeve 24 in' the same manner, the bearing 42 is applied and finally a lock ring 44 is threaded on to a threaded portion at the forward end of the sleeve 24 until the -desired tightness in the bearings l4,1 and 42 is attained. The ring 44 may suitably be a split ring which is tightened for desired adjustment by means of va bolt 45.V

The sleeve 43 is closely analogous to the sleeve 27, that is, it is of general spool-like form being ywaisted in the center and provided with ribs 46 whereby the sleeve 43 may be rotated by a suitable tool introduced through an opening 47. The ends of the sleeve 43 are of different diameters, the forward end being smaller than the rear end. The ends of the sleeve 43 are externallythreaded so as to engage correspondingly threaded portions of the housing 11. It will readily be understood that the whole assembly, including the shaft 23, sleeve 24, bearings 41 and 42 and sleeve 43, is. inserted as a unit from the rear `into the housing 11 until the threaded portions of the spacing sleeve 43 are brought into contact with the corresponding threaded portions ofthe housing 11. Thereafter the sleeve 43 is rotated by .means of a tool inserted through the opening 47 until the desired location of the mechanism is attained. When the desired position is arrived at, the sleeve 43 is locked againstmovement in This may be done Aby means of a cap 48 which is-used to close the Vopening 47. This cap has downwardly projecting elements 49 which are adapted to engage one of the ribs 46 of thesleeve 43.

' The sleeve 24 is provided, at its' forward end,

v66 upon which are mounted ,a pair of locknuts means of Awhich it rides freely Yupon the enlarged rear end of the propeller shaft 51. The clutch member 53 is provided'at its rear end with inwardly directed clutch teeth 55 and outwardly directed teeth 56 which are adapted to engage the clutch lteeth of the clutch member 32 or the clutch 50 of the sleeve 24.

The clutch member 53 is provided with a circumferential groove 57 into which extend pins 58'carried by the arms of a fork 59. The fork 59 is rigidly secured to a shaft 60 which has bearings in the housing 11 and projects therebeyond.

vThe projecting end of the'sllaft 60 has, rigidly secured thereto an arm 61 which `is pivotally c onnected to a rod62 whichmay, inturn, be .con-

lnected to a handlever or other suitable means forA actuating the clutch member53 aty will.

With reference to Fig.A l, it will vbe noted that the clutch member 53 is shown in meshwith the teeth ofthe sleeve 24so that the sleeve 24 is directly driven from the shaft,51. When/the clutch member 53 is` moved rearwardly so that -105 its clutch teeth 55 engage the teeth ofthe clutch member 32, rigidly mounted on the shaft-23-the pinion 22 is directly driven by the shaft 5l. In

both casesathe drive isdirect, the clutchmem- Vber 53 serving purelyas a clutching :means .for

securing the shaft 51 directly to either the sleeve 24 or the shaft 23. Aswill best be seenin Eig. 1, the shaft 51 can be. inserted from theA front, likewise double thrust bearings 63 which aresecured in position byl Vmeansof a v`threaded ring 64, mounted in the forward end-ofv the Yhousing The ring 64 carriesganinwardlydirected flange 65. Adjacent the forward-end of the housing 11,l the shaft 51,has a, threaded portion 67, which bear against theoutermostfofythe bearings 63. The lock nuts 67 areV locked by means of a washer 68 having exterior ltongues bent over the flat surfacesof the nut 67. The washer 68 has a portion which Y keyway 69 in the shaft 51. It will 4be Vunderstood that the shaft 51, together` with the bearings, are mounted in position before the variable speed drive mechanism is inserted. The clutch member 53 is .then appliedA from the rear ,upon` the enlarged end of the shaft 5l, the fork, 59 being manipulated so as lto bring. its. pins 58 into the groove 57. The variable'speed .drive mechanism is then. inserted in the mannerfdescribed above.

extends into a -125 435 It will readily be understood that ,the drive of the propellershaft 51lwill be `communicated at different speeds to the ring gear 14,depending upon`whether the drive is transmitted by the shaft 23 or the rsle`eve24. The relative speeds attained by the ring gear 14 depend upon lthe,

effective ratios of the gear 21 and track; of teeth 19 on the vone hand, and the gear`22 and track Vof teeth 20 on the other hand. Itwill be understood that these ratios may be varied at will in order to obtain any desired'ge'ar ratios.Y Y t v It will also be understood thatwhile Ihav shown` one driving shaft 23 within-one driving sleeve 24, I do not intendv tobe limited thereto rsince themu1tiple speeddrive hereinldescribecl :150

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: y

1. In combination an automotive axle housing, a ring gear therein, an extension housing extending forwardly from said axle housing, a propeller shaft entering saidextension housing, a variable speed mechanism in lsaid extension housing, saidv mechanism comprising a pair of driving members, one located Within the other and provided with beveled gears in mesh with said ring gear,

said mechanism being assembled within a sleeve to form a unit for insertion Within said extension housing and a clutch in said extension housing operable to connect the propeller shaft directly to either of said driving elements, said gears being adapted to provide different speed ratios.

2. In combination, a variable speed mechanism comprisinga shaft anda sleeve, bevel gears carried by the shaft and sleeve at adjacent ends, bearings for the shaft Within the sleeve, 'a spacer sleeve adjustably movable and adapted to be locked to the rst said sleeve to ladjust the relative position of the bevel gears and maintainthe desired adjustment, bearings for the i'lrst said sleeve, a spacer sleeve mounted thereon, a housing for the mechanism, means for adjusting the last said spacer sleeve in the housing, and means for locking the last said spacer sleeve in the housing;

3. In combination, a variable speed mechanism comprising a shaft and a sleeve, bevel gears lcarried by the shaft and sleeve at adjacent ends,

bearings for the shaft Within the sleeve, a spacer sleeve adjustably movable and adapted to be locked to the first said'sleeve to adjust the relative position of the bevel gears and maintain the desired adjustment, bearings for the rst said sleeve, a spacer sleeve mounted thereon, a housing for the mechanism, means for adjusting the last said spacer sleeve in the housing, means for locking the last said spacer sleeve in the housing, a propeller shaft, and operable means for clutching the propeller shaft to either the Lshaft or the rst said sleeve. y

v STEPHEN G. SKINNER. 

